Like an oak tree growing from an acorn, Furniture Fair has grown into the region's premier home furnishings retailer.
Furniture Fair was founded in Erlanger Kentucky in 1963 by Robert "Bob" Daniels. Bob Daniels named his company Furniture Fair to reflect his belief in offering quality, name brand, home furnishings at fair prices, with exemplary service.
And as Rick Daniels, Bob's son, and CEO of Furniture Fair says, "Those values still hold true today. We call our service department the Customer Care Department because we are serious about making our customers happy."
Furniture Fair's first store at 3932 Dixie Highway in Erlanger Kentucky was only 7,000 square feet. It's still there and in use today as a Furniture Fair Clearance Center. But from those humble beginnings, expansion was always in the business plan.
"Our first expansion was in Fairfield, Ohio in 1972," says Rick Daniels. "That store relocated in 1985 and today houses our corporate headquarters, warehousing and central distribution facility. Today Furniture Fair has over 200,000 square feet of warehousing space in a headquarters that is over 260,000 square feet."
Other locations soon followed, "Northgate" on Colerain Avenue in 1976, Florence Kentucky, Eastgate, Fields Ertel in Deerfield Township in Ohio and our newest store location in Cold Spring Kentucky, which like our Fields Ertel location also houses a Design Destination Store. Furniture Fair's newest business venture, a full service interior design facility.
While Bob Daniels was busy building a business, he was also raising a family with his wife Kate. Many of Bob's children and grandchildren are involved in the business today. In addition to Rick Daniels, brothers Steve and Bill also hold leadership roles in the company. "We all started working here in our teens" says Rick Daniels.
"When Dad retired in 1979, Steve and I took over the business and Bill joined us as soon as he got out of college." In addition many other family members work at a variety of jobs within the company including sister Jenny Wynne, who started Furniture Fair's interior design services.
But the feeling of family doesn't end with blood relatives. In fact, the extended Furniture Fair "Family" includes many employees who have been with the company more than 20 years including one who has been there since day one. "My Dad's first bookkeeper "Juda". Juda Yauger is still keeping the books at Furniture Fair today and like the Daniels', her daughter and granddaughter work at Furniture Fair as part of multiple generations working together."
Rick Daniels points out that the loyalty his father held with his first customers is still a guiding force today. "Stability, consistency and knowledge are the keys to longevity" he says. "Many fine furniture stores have come and gone since 1963, but we're still here because of our people and our processes. The best ad in the world is a happy customer."
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Steve Daniels Vice President |
Bill Daniels President |
Rick Daniels CEO |
